PajamaMan...

Friday, June 8

The Ocean Project

"World Ocean Day began on 8 June 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, it is not an officially recognized secular holiday by the United Nations as of yet.

World Ocean Day is an opportunity every year to honor the oceans and products they provide, such as seafood, as well as marine lives themselves for aquariums and pets. The oceans also provide sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution and over-consumption of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population of the majority of species.

The Ocean Project, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network, is working to build much greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Ocean Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future – beach cleanups, educational programs, art contests, film festivals, sustainable seafood events, and other planned activities help to raise consciousness of how our lives depend on the ocean. These two organizations are collecting signatures to a petition to be presented to the United Nations asking them to desginate June 8th as World Ocean Day. The petition can be accessed online at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/456440372" (Wikipedia Editors, 2007)

What is World Ocean Day?

History

Created in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro - although not yet officially designated by the United Nations - World Ocean Day is an opportunity each year to celebrate our world ocean and our personal connection to the sea. The Ocean Project, working closely with the World Ocean Network, helps each year to coordinate events and activities with aquariums, zoos, museums, conservation organizations, universities, schools, businesses. Together with the World Ocean Network, we are also working to have the United Nations officially designate World Ocean Day as June 8th each year. Take time to do something good for our ocean: sign the petition today!

To United Nations and World Government Leaders: Help make a difference for our ocean planet!

Whereas everyone on our planet is connected and affected by the oceans;

Whereas the world's ocean covers 70% of our planet, yet less than 1% of our ocean habitat is protected;

Whereas the ocean plays a critical role in maintaining the planet's ecosystems and is essential to human health and well being;

Whereas it is critical to educate the public, and promote stewardship among children and adults alike;

Whereas ocean environments around the world are collapsing, primarily due to over-fishing, pollution, and unsustainable coastal development;

Whereas the ocean's rich diversity of life belongs to all citizens of the world; and

Whereas on June 8 there has been an unofficial celebration of the oceans around the world for 12 years...

I endorse a United Nations resolution to declare June 8 as WORLD OCEAN DAY as a means each year to celebrate the world's ocean and its rich diversity of life; highlight global ocean awareness, education and action programs to promote a healthy and productive ocean; and remind nations, governments, businesses, and individuals of their responsibility to protect the world's living ocean and conserve its resources for present and future generations.

I join the initiative locally, nationally and internationally to celebrate and recognize World Ocean Day each year.

-- end of petition --

Why Should I Celebrate World Ocean Day?

It's up to each one of us to help ensure that our ocean is protected and conserved for future generations. World Ocean Day allows us to…

Change perspective - encourage individuals to think about what the ocean means to them and what it has to offer all of us with hopes of conserving it for present and the future generations.

Learn - discover the wealth of diverse and beautiful ocean creatures and habitats, how our daily actions affect them, and how we are all interconnected.

Change our ways - we are all connected to the ocean! By taking care of your backyard, you are acting as a caretaker of our ocean. Making small modifications to your everyday habits will greatly benefit our blue planet.

Celebrate - whether you live inland or on the coast we are all connected to the ocean; take the time to think about how the ocean affects you, and how you affect the ocean, and then organize or participate in activities that celebrate our world ocean.

Why Should I Care About the Ocean?

The world's ocean:

Generates most of the oxygen we breathe;

Helps feed us;

Regulates our climate;

Cleans the water we drink;

Offers us a pharmacopoeia of potential medicines; and

Provides limitless inspiration!

Yet for too long, human society has:

Treated the ocean as a garbage dump;

Decimated fish populations;

Destroyed critical habitat;

Interrupted the fundamental reproductive capacity of life in the ocean; and

Taken the world's ocean for granted.

Now we can give back! Take part in World Ocean Day events and activities this year and help protect our ocean for the future!

Excerpt from Press Release 2007:

The international celebration of World Ocean Day presents an opportunity for individuals to learn more about our ocean and to help. This year World Ocean Day is gathering momentum as worldwide attention is drawn to global climate change. Most people are not aware of the crucial role the ocean plays in maintaining earth’s climate. In fact, protecting our ocean also protects our planet and human survival.

The ocean itself faces serious threats from climate change. As human activities produce too much carbon dioxide, it is absorbed in the ocean and, as a result, ocean waters are becoming more acidic. The ocean is also warming, which causes coral reefs to die, now in record numbers. Climate change is taking is toll on many ocean species. The messages of World Ocean Day have never been more important.